Unbelievable,The Iowa women’s former head coach and other top player who retired years ago has announced their return to the team.

Unbelievable,The Iowa women’s former head coach and other top player who retired years ago has announced their return to the team.

On Sunday, March 24, 2024, in Stanford, California, during the first half of the team’s second-round NCAA Tournament game versus Iowa State, head coach Tara VanDerveer of Stanford reacts to players.

California’s Stanford (AP) – Years before the South Carolina coach began winning titles or pulling off an incredible unbeaten season, Tara VanDerveer gave a young Dawn Staley time and support behind the scenes.

The legendary Stanford coach extended the same hospitality to her Pac-12 foes.

Regarding Cori Close. Regarding Lindsay Gottlieb. Regarding Charmin Smith. Regarding Charli Turner Thorne. And for Kate Paye, who is set to succeed VanDerveer as the 70-year-old pioneer of women’s basketball retires.

Almost everyone has a tale about how, throughout her illustrious four decades in the industry, VanDerveer went above and beyond to conduct good deeds. She loved being able to support the sport in any way she could. She’s leaving on a high note right now.

Following 38 seasons as the head coach of the Stanford women’s team and 45 years in total, the most successful basketball coach in NCAA history announced her retirement on Tuesday night.

In January, VanDerveer overtook Mike Krzyzewski in the record for victories. With 1,216 victories at Idaho, Ohio State, and Stanford, she is leaving.

VanDerveer released a statement saying, “Basketball is the greatest group project there is and I am so incredibly thankful for every person who has supported me and our teams throughout my coaching career.” “I’ve had the privilege of coaching the best and brightest at one of the top universities in the world for almost 40 years. I’m spoiled.”

Additionally, as has long been planned, Stanford stated in a statement that talks are on for top Cardinal assistant Paye to take lead the program.

with Paye are in progress. Paye has been a coach on VanDerveer’s staff for 17 years, having played for her from 1991 to 1995.

While serving as Southern California’s coach in 2013, the team participated in the same NCAA Tournament regional as Stanford. Following Georgia’s upset of VanDerveer’s top-seeded Cardinal, which forced Cal to play the Bulldogs, VanDerveer contacted Gottlieb to congratulate him and offer his assistance with the game preparation.

The Golden Bears, ranked second, proceeded to the lone Final Four in the history of the program.

On November 26, 2010, VanDerveer went to the Gamecocks’ locker room in Maples Pavilion for a postgame motivational speech after the team had defeated Staley and South Carolina 70-32.

Being on the West Coast, I had a front-row ticket to all those things,” Gottlieb recalled with fondness over the phone on Tuesday night following Cal’s victory over LSU. “Tara called us the moment we won, asking if we wanted the Georgia scout, even though her season had just ended. You remember things like that. It influences how you handle rival coaches as well as how you handle opponents.